LEGISLATIVE BUDGET BOARD

Austin, Texas

FISCAL NOTE, 82ND LEGISLATIVE REGULAR SESSION

May 4, 2011

TO:	Honorable Dan Branch, Chair, House Committee on Higher Education
FROM:	John S O'Brien, Director, Legislative Budget Board
IN RE:	HB3461 by Margo (relating to to transferring adult education and literacty programs to the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board from the Texas Education Agency.), Committee Report 1st House, Substituted

No significant fiscal implication to the State is anticipated.

The bill would amend the Education Code relating to the transfer of adult education and literacy programs from the Texas Education Agency (TEA) to the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board (THECB).

The bill would require THECB to do the following: 1) provide adequate staffing to develop, administer, and support a comprehensive statewide adult education program and coordinate related federal and state programs for the education and training of adults; 2) develop the mechanism and guidelines for the coordination with other agencies of comprehensive adult education and related skill training services for adults; 3) administer all state and federal funds for adult education and related skill training services in this state; 4) prescribe and administer standards and accrediting policies for adult education; 5) prescribe and administer rules for teacher certification for adult education; 6) accept and administer grants, gifts, services and funds from available sources for use in adult education; 7) adopt or develop and administer a standardized assessment mechanism for assessing all adult education program participants who need literacy instruction, adult basic education, or secondary education leading to an adult high school diploma or the equivalent; and 8) monitor and evaluate educational and employment outcomes of students who participate in the programs.

The bill would repeal Section 7.102(16), Education Code, related to the ability of the State Board of Education to approve adult education programs and establish an adult education advisory committee, and Sections 29.251(1), (2), and (3), Section 29.253, and Section 29.254. 

The bill requires THECB to establish an advisory committee composed of not more than nine members appointed by the board. The advisory committee would be required to report educational and employment outcomes by December 1 of each even numbered year.  The bill also requires THECB and TEA to enter into a memorandum of understanding relating to the transfer, no later than October 1, 2011.

Based on the analysis of the THECB and the TEA, it is assumed that any duties and responsibilities associated with implementing the provisions of the bill could be accomplished by utilizing existing resources. This bill would take effect September 1, 2011.

Local Government Impact

No significant fiscal implication to units of local government is anticipated.

Source Agencies:

701 Central Education Agency, 781 Higher Education Coordinating Board

LBB Staff:

JOB, KK, RT, GO, SDE